Reclaimed
by Tex 30
Summary: Red vs. Blue. What happens after Season 14? This is one idea. The two remaining Freelancers together. Two brought back that we all thought were dead. Everyone's favorite A.I. is back now too. Be happy Caboose! Secrets revealed and rivalries dissolved. Each chapter leaves you wanting more. I am still writing! I do not own any of the Halo or Red vs. Blue items in my story.
1. Reclaimed: Prologue

Prologue

They were the highest competitors in Project Freelancer, except for Wash of course. Number one, number two, and number three on the leaderboard. Wash was of course the worst Freelancer, but he survived, didn't he?

Despite Carolina and York having been together, their relationship was destined to fail. She was always meant to be with Wash. They are soldiers.

Tex may have been forgotten by Church, or Epsilon, or whoever you want to call him, but there was always that extra copy of her that he forgot he made in case the first had failed. She sits lonely, realizing what Epsilon is doing, and she thinks her best friend is also gone. After all, he died for her, didn't he?

York misses Delta, but he is happy to have room to think for himself. He had to betray Delta in order to search for _her_. He realized Carolina was meant for the battlefield, so they would have never lasted. He is looking for someone mean and scary but also sweet and trustworthy. He is looking for Tex.


	2. Reclaimed: York Search

York's Search

York knows he will never be able to find her if he deliberately looks. She will come to him if anything. He decides instead to search for Carolina. Despite his doubts he does still love her. His best friend will find him, and he will try to save what little bit of love still exists between Carolina and himself.


	3. Reclaimed: Tex Knows the Secrets

Tex Knows the Secrets

Tex feels a strange sense of relief and anguish as Church makes his last memory in the world.

She _had_ loved Church but not enough for it to last. She knows she has to find her best friend before she collapses and gives up. Without having anyone that cares about her, why should she live? Everyone already thinks she is gone. She walks into the old Freelancer locker room and looks in her locker, hoping to find a trace of any of the others. Looking up, she sees white X's on most of the lockers. Two of them had something but were repainted to the original color. They are Wash and Carolina's lockers. She looks in them. Carolina has a stack of pictures in the bottom of her locker. They all contain her and York. The only other thing is a Magnum with her name engraved into the side. Tex heads over to Wash's locker. His skateboard still leans against the back. His swirly straw rests on the top shelf in front of an unmarked box. A picture of himself, York, and North is taped to his locker door. Tex pulls down the box, carefully, so as not to disturb any other items. She removes the lid and finds multiple pictures and empty ammo cartridges for a Magnum and a Battle Rifle. She pulls the first stack of pictures out and finds one of everyone except herself. Tex even recognizes Florida, Georgia, Utah, Ohio, Idaho, and Iowa. The second stack is thicker and more taken care of. As Tex flips through them, she notices one common thing: they all have Carolina in them. She puts the pictures back in the box and goes back to Carolina's locker. She had assumed all of the pictures were of Carolina and York. As Tex removes the top layers of pictures, she begins to see more and more of Wash. Most of them appear to have been rushed, consisting of blurs and cut off body parts. Everyone had their secrets; Carolina was just the best at keeping them. Tex looks over at the last locker on the right side of the room, York's locker. Unlike the others, its open. York's old busted helmet rests on the middle shelf of the locker. Multiple magazine clippings litter the bottom of his locker. One remaining picture clings to the door, but this one is of Carolina. A small stack of papers rests on the top shelf. Tex pulls them down. They are all letters that were never opened and marked "return to sender". As Tex turns to leave, a black envelope, half-buried in the bottom of York's locker, catches her attention. She pulls it out and the only thing on it is "TEX" in big silver letters. Tex opens it and finds coordinates to a Pelican hangar and a base on Chorus. Looking at the last paper in the envelope, Tex drops everything and runs to the vehicle hangar.


	4. Reclaimed: Carolina's Crash Landing

Carolina's Crash Landing

Carolina fights against Hargrove's forces, slowly backing away from their fire. She takes one more step and backs into Wash. He quickly glances over his shoulder, "Hey Carolina!"

She doesn't even turn to see him; her face is red under her helmet.

A soldier throws a grenade at them from Carolina's side. "Wash! Watch out!" She pushes him out of the way. The blast sends them flying farther in the direction they had been falling, and Carolina is pulled into Washington's arms in an attempt to shield her from the explosion. Wash lands hard on the ground with Carolina on top of him. He groans as she quickly rolls onto the ground beside him. The explosion has ended up killing the soldiers in all the irony. Wash lays in pain while Carolina gets up.

"Carolina!" he yells, quickly grabbing his Battle Rifle and firing in her direction. She ducks and a body thuds behind her. Her love for York had finally run out. Somehow she had to tell Wash how she felt.


	5. Reclaimed: Wash's Motivation

Wash's Motivation

Wash couldn't help but smile to himself as he backed into Carolina. With her at his back, he could ensure she was safe. He turns around, and Carolina is shoving him to the ground. He sees the grenade on the ground and pulls her into him. "I can't lose her," he thinks. When they land on the ground, he finds it painful but pleasant. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't grabbed Carolina. The explosion had wiped out all the soldiers, or so he thought. One stands up and stumbles towards Carolina, raising his gun. Wash reacts on instinct. He screams out her name and shoots the soldier down as fast as possible. The fear that shot through his heart perfected his aim. He didn't want to rush Carolina, but York was dead and he has always been there for her. Washington knows he is about to make a risky move.


	6. Reclaimed: The Thief

The Thief

Sneaking into the Freelancer facility had been easy. York was a thief and an expert locksmith. He just hates holographic locks. York had gone straight to the locker room and left his letter for Tex. Carolina had never opened his letters. He had looked in her locker while he was there. Seeing all the pictures of her and Wash had hurt him some, and he pulled down all the pictures of Carolina and himself. He had to find out if she still loved him. York's love for her has started to fade as he starts to long to see Tex more and more. He is on his way to Chorus in the broken down ship he hijacked. As he enters Chorus' atmosphere, the ship finally quits. York is headed to the ground in a fireball. He frantically searches for a jetpack. He only finds one as the ship starts to fall apart. The shaking knocks him to the floor, and he cuts his hand badly. York manages to get out of the ship, alive, before it explodes in mid-air.


	7. Reclaimed: Letters

Letters

The words of York's letter echo in her head as she drives to the Pelican hangar in a Warthog. "I'm still alive," it had said. She shakes off the confusion and focuses on driving. "I'm looking for a resolution," he had also told her. Her head is flooded with thoughts, and she suddenly blacks out.


	8. Reclaimed: Halting the Mission

Halting the Mission

Carolina reaches her hand out, and Wash takes it. She pulls him to his feet. "Come on Wash, let's go find the others!" Carolina orders as they head towards the temple. Carolina has her Magnums handy and shoots any remaining oncoming soldiers as they rush up to where the ship is crashed. She feels a sense of relief with Wash covering her back. They finally reach the ship, and Carolina goes to step into it.

"Wait, Carolina!" Wash grabs Carolina's hand.

She freezes. She is unable to sort through the words in her head and instead just looks at him. She finally manages just his name, "Wash?"


	9. Reclaimed: Loving the Leader

Loving the Leader

He doesn't know what provoked him to grab Carolina's hand, he just did. Now he has to tell her, if it isn't already obvious. "Carolina -," he starts. He can't get the words out. She steps down and towards him. He sighs, "He's gone Carolina, but I'm not." He's not expecting Carolina to do what she does. Instead of getting mad at him, she hugs him. He slowly encloses her in his arms. "I love you Carolina."

She looks up at him, "I love you too Wash."


	10. Reclaimed: Technical Malfunction

Technical Malfunction

He is spiraling towards the ground as he struggles to get the jetpack to turn on. The blood dripping down his hand and arm is the least of his concerns. If he doesn't get the jetpack to work soon, he really will be dead. In a last attempt, York smacks the button with his injured hand. Blood splatters across his tan armor, but the jetpack finally activates. He navigates toward the ground and lands safely. Taking off the jetpack, York curses it and throws it away from himself.


	11. Reclaimed: Becoming or Unbecoming

Becoming or Unbecoming

Tex wakes up to see doctors standing over her. She jolts trying to get up and run, only to find that she is locked to the operating bed. She still struggles, hoping her strength will enable her to break free. She is weaker than before, and she feels pain from her struggles. "Hello Agent Texas," says a familiar voice, Tex can't seem to place it. 479er steps out from behind the others. Tex freezes when she sees her.

"What do you want with me? What did you do to me?" Tex demands.

"Relax Texas. I'm here to help you. In fact, if you promise not to hurt any of my men, I'll let you up." Tex realizes it's her only chance to even attempt an escape.

"Fine, I won't." 479er nods to two of her men, and they begin to unclamp Tex.

"Do you notice anything different, Agent Texas?" Tex glares at her. "I think you'll find it benefits you in your current state of mind." 479er walks up to Tex as she gets up, "You're human again Texas." The doctors grab Tex before she falls to her knees.

"Why? How is this going to benefit _me_? Who am I?!"

479er laughs, "As an A.I. you are nothing but a computer program; therefore, we can see your thoughts." York is the first thing Tex thinks of when she hears this. She looks straight at 479er. "That's right Texas, you can go find him now." It's as if she read Tex's mind.

Tex still insists on her last question, "Who am I?" 479er pulls a mirror over to Tex. Tex takes off her helmet.

"You are who you used to be."


	12. Reclaimed: In the Ship

In the Ship

She finally pulls away from Washington's embrace. "I always thought you were just a nice guy," she tells him. Washington laughs at Carolina. She smiles knowing that he loves her. Carolina finally climbs into the ship with Wash right behind her. He would always have her back now.

"Do I really seem like a 'nice guy' kind of person?" Wash finally asks.

Carolina laughs, "Most of the time." A spark shoots out from a wire next to them, and Wash jumps out of the way. "This ship seems awfully quiet," Carolina says, searching the walkways above them.

They come to a door at last. "Does it open?" asks Wash. At that moment the door activates and slides open. The sound of gunfire is now deafening. Carolina jumps back to the left of the door, Wash goes to the right. Carolina peers into the other room and is amazed by what she sees.

"Its the Reds and Blues! They're fighting Hargrove's forces!"


	13. Reclaimed: Flying Colors

Flying Colors

"Well we can't let them have all the fun now, can we?" He charges in and runs along the wall taking out soldiers.

"Wash! What are you doing?!" Carolina screams, horrified by his rush in.

He speaks between Battle Rifle blasts, "I'm - saving - my - friends!" He has cleared half the room as he makes his way to the Reds and Blues before Carolina comes charging in. She flips and kicks three soldiers in a row down. Washington continues to fight along the sides as Carolina fights in the middle.

As the crowd thins, the Reds' and Blues' voices can be heard.

"Look! It's Carolina!" Simmons shouts.

"I can see Agent Washington!" Caboose yells.

"Tell 'em to get in here!" Sarge growls.

"Aw, man, is that why we were winning?" Grif groans.

"Ha ha ha! We don't need them!" Doc O'Malley declares.

"I think we really do," Donut adds.

"Hey! Wash! Carolina! Get in here, we need you!" Tucker orders. Wash shoves through Hargrove's soldiers and grabs Carolina. He pulls them into the room with the Reds and Blues.

"What took you so long?" Grif asks.


	14. Reclaimed: Needing To Be Saved

Needing to be Saved

He runs alongside the wall of a cliff, hoping to find the base or any building that may contain medical supplies. York takes off his glove to see how bad his situation is. He has to find help within the hour. If he can't find the base, hopefully Tex will be on the planet to find him very soon. He has to sit down and rest for a while. York doesn't want to fall asleep, but he doesn't have the energy to stay awake. As he starts to dream some twenty minutes later, he only sees one person: a girl named Tex.


	15. Reclaimed: To a Former Life

To a Former Life

A girl with red hair and brown eyes stares back at Tex. She can only wonder what poor soul gave up their life so that she could have hers. "There's a ship fueled and waiting for you with the coordinates for your trip already set," 479er tells her.

Tex looks over at her, "Thank you." She puts her helmet back on and rushes to the ship. She waves to everyone as she starts up the ship and flies away, deep into space. Tex activates the hyperdrive in order to get to Chorus as soon as possible. Despite her calm demeanor, she can't wait to see York. She deactivates the hyperdrive, and the ship appears right before Chorus. She descends to the surface and opens the door to the ship.

The first thing Tex sees is a burning crash, not far from where she landed. "York," she thinks. Tex runs in the direction she assumes he would have gone but not before gathering as many medkits as she can carry. It's not long before she finds York passed out along the side of a cliff, slowly bleeding to death.


	16. Reclaimed: Confusion

Confusion

Carolina witnesses Washington moving at light speed to pull them both safely into the room with the Reds and Blues. "Wow, Wash," she says, amazed. Her and Wash completely ignore Grif's question.

"You've gotta do what you've gotta do, especially when it comes to you," Wash says to her.

"Um, Grif, I think you just got your answer," Simmons turns to him.

"There's no time for lolligagging, we've got a war to win!" Sarge yells, shooting down the last soldier with a blast from his Shotgun.

"You think we don't know that?" Wash yells at him.

"Calm down Wash, it's just Sarge, not worth wasting your breath," she tells him.

"Come on! We've got to find Hargrove before he can escape!" Tucker yells to them from all the way down the hall. Everyone looks down at him.

"When did Tucker get the new armor?" Carolina asks.

"Church gave it to him!" Caboose yells.

"Where _is_ Church?" she asks.

"It doesn't matter, we have to go," Wash grabs her hand. They run through the halls in pursuit of Tucker, followed by the Reds and Blues.

Carolina starts to get annoyed by the party noises from Caboose's gun. He keeps pulling the trigger while he's running. "Caboose!" she yells at him.

"Not my fault! Tucker did it!" he yells.

"I'm up front, you idiot!" Tucker yells back to Caboose.

"Freckles can you _please_ stop the noise?" Carolina pleads.

"AFFIRMATIVE," Freckles replies. They continue out of the ship in silence.


	17. Reclaimed: Meet the New Crew

Meet the New Crew

Wash helps Carolina out of the ship. "Where'd Tucker go?" Carolina asks as Wash pulls her down. Tucker fades into existence.

"He's testing out his new armor enhancements," Wash sighs. He steps out of the way for Carolina. "Tucker, how are you even running the equipment in that suit?" he asks.

"Oh, right! Meet my new friends. Come on out guys." Delta appears first.

"Delta! You're alive!" screams Caboose.

"Technically I was never alive," Delta responds.

Sigma appears next. Wash and Carolina back up. "How do you have Sigma?" Wash yells, alarmed.

"Don't worry, he's cool now," Tucker shrugs.

Eta and Iota come out next, dancing around. "Hey, Carolina, it's your old A.I.s!" Wash is excited to see them. Carolina shudders at the memory, and he holds her close. "I won't let anything happen to you," he says to her. She nods and rests her head onto his shoulder. "Is that it?" he asks.

"Wait," Tucker orders, "Come on out little guy." Theta peers out from behind Tucker's foot.

"Hey! It's Theta!" Wash says excitedly. Recognizing Agent Washington, Theta steps out into the open.

"Hello Agent Washington," he waves.

"You can call me Wash," he tells Theta.

"Cool!" Theta replies, happily. Theta moves out of the way as Gamma appears.

"'Sup Gary!" Tucker calls.

"Hello Captain Tucker," he says in his robotic voice.

"His name is Gary?" Wash asks.

"Yes," Gary and Tucker reply.

"Gamma is Gary," Grif interrupts.

"Shut up dirtbag," Sarge melees him.

"Okay then," Washington turns back to Tucker.

Omega finally appears. "Hey, it's O'Malley!" shouts Doc. He changes to his O'Malley personality, "That's me you fool!"

Omega-O'Malley turns to Tucker, "We can kill him."

Wash swats at him, "Woah! That's enough! Goodbye all of you!" They all disappear.


	18. Reclaimed: Dark Angel

Dark Angel

She's the first thing he sees when he starts to wake up. "Damn, am I dead? Because I see one hell of an angel." Tex turns from the empty medkits she was stacking and sees York stirring. She runs to him and hugs him. "Hey Tex," he says.

"Oh my god, York, you're alive!" Tex sobs into his shoulder.

"You know me Tex, always seeming to be dead and then surprising you by surviving," he smiles at her. His helmet had been removed when Tex was working to save him. Tex removes her helmet to wipe the streams of tears that had formed down her cheeks. He reaches up his injured hand and brushes the loose hair out of Tex's face.

"I thought you were dead!" she cries out.

"Shh, it's okay Tex, I'm here, I'm alive," he attempts to soothe her. Tex collapses down beside him and rests her head on his shoulder, trying to stop her chest from heaving as she calms down.

"I love you York," she says to him.

"Okay, I love you Tex."


	19. Reclaimed: Waiting on Forever

Waiting on Forever

She moves closer into York now. Tex is exhausted from the long journey and all her worry. "Rest if you need it Tex. We've got plenty of time," York tells her.

"You _do_ need it," she tells him.

York pulls his arm out from behind her and pulls her closer, "I know."

Tex closes her eyes but waits for York to fall asleep before she finally gives into the pull of the dark. She lays next to York, sitting against a cliff in the middle of nowhere, on Chorus. She can only wish for her forever.


	20. Reclaimed: Previous Attachments

Previous Attachments

"Can I see the twins again?" asks Carolina. Tucker nods to her, and they come out again. They wave to Carolina, and she waves back. She takes off her helmet to make sure they are real.

"The yellow one is Eta, and the blue one is Iota," Tucker says to her.

"I know who they are," she says to him. Eta and Iota chase each other in a circle while they are in the middle of the group.

"Well, yeah, they were your A.I.s for a while," Tucker shrugs.

"Eta? Iota?" she calls out their names. They stop and walk over to her.

Their voices are like whispers, and they speak together, "Hello Agent Carolina. Do you need anything? We are sorry to have hurt you."

She manages a small smile for their sympathy. "No. Thank you. It is kind of nice to see you again," Carolina tells them. They are filled with happiness at her words and start dancing around her. Her smile grows into one of genuine happiness. Eta and Iota's laughter fills the space around her, and she puts her helmet back on.

"Alright guys, time to come back," Tucker sighs.

"Awww. But we want to travel with Carolina!" they complain.

Wash walks over to Carolina and wraps his arms around her, "I don't think she quite wants A.I.s back in her head."

She steps out and Washington's arms drop away from her. "It's alright, they can come with me. If I wanted to, I could have them just in my armor. I did have Church before, remember Wash?"

Eta and Iota cheer.

"Oh yeah. Where is Church now?" Wash asks.

"I asked the same question earlier," Carolina says.


	21. Reclaimed: Lost and Found

Lost and Found

The crowd goes silent as they realize what happened. Tucker shifts nervously from foot to foot. Caboose hugs Freckles. Grif looks toward the ground. Simmons puts his arm across Grif's shoulders and looks at him. Sarge messes with a Shotgun shell on the ground. Donut shakes his head. Doc goes completely silent and still. Carolina holds her breath to hold back the misery. Washington glances around at all of them with a certain heaviness in his heart. "I actually let him in my head for a while," he breaks the silence.

"He was my best friend!" cries Caboose.

"He was a pretty good cellmate," Grif states.

"He called me C," Carolina sobs. Washington is surprised that her normally serious demeanor is broken by Church's dissolve.

Tucker finally speaks, "He was an awesome friend and a pretty good leader. He taught us all a lot. I have a recording he left for us."

Delta appears in front of him, "Would you like me to play the recording Captain Tucker?" Tucker nods to Delta.

"Wait! Have you seen it already?" Wash asks.

"No," Tucker replies. Delta starts the recording and everyone's eyes are focused on the last image of Church. They watch him give his speech, and now even Wash has a tear in his eye.

"Are we still heroes then?" he asks. No one answers.

All the A.I. gather around Tucker and whisper to him. Tucker nods to them. "What are they talking about?" Wash wonders out loud. The A.I. converge into Tucker's armor and a minute later reappear with a light hidden behind them. They move out of the way and Church is left standing in the middle of them. "You made a new Epsilon," Wash gasps.

"Hey Church," Tucker says, amazed.

Church turns to him, "Hey buddy. Wait! What?!" Church looks around at the rest of them. "Tucker, I can't run your suit this way!" He stops when he sees all the other A.I.s out together. "I didn't call them out, how are they here?" Church asks Tucker.

"They kind of made you," Tucker tells him.

Church walks to Carolina and Wash, "Am I really back you guys?" Carolina nods and lays her head back on Wash's shoulder.

"Yeah Church, welcome back," Wash says.

"Looks like I missed some big things while I was gone," Church says, pointing at Carolina.

"I guess you could say that," Wash tells him.


End file.
